Carpet-stretcher



(N0 Mdel.)

J. W. ROUNKLES. CARPET STRETGHER.

No. 456,432. Patented July 21, 1891.

!!!llliiillimflilliilllill witwaooeo UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN \VALTER ROUNKLES, OF FARMINGTON, IOlVA.

CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,432, dated July 21,1891.

Application filed May 23 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown tl1atI,J()HNALTER RoUNkLns, a citizen of the United States,residing at Farmington, in the county of Van Buren and State of Iowa,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Stretchers;and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements incarpet-stretchers, and it has for its object to provide a simple andeffective device of the character described, which wi ll serve tostretch and hold the carpet in place while it is being tacked to thefloor.

The essential feature of the invention resides in the construction ofthe bars or strips which bear the hooks or points which are designed toengage the carpet, and which are so formed as to permit the. carpet tobe stretched closely against the side wall of the apartment, and whileso holding the carpet in place permit the tacks to be driven in theextreme edge of the carpet without the necessityof releasing the tensionof the stretcher.

Another essential feature of the invention resides in the constructionand arrangement of the pivotedly connected operating-levers to which thestretcher-heads are attached, the same being so constructed as to renderthe adjustment easy and positive.

To these ends and to such others as the invention may pertain the sameconsists in the peculiar construction and in the novel combination,arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, shown in the accompanying drawings, and then specificallydefined in the appended claim.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, like letters of reference indicating like partsthroughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view ofa carpet- Serial No. 393,853. (No model.)

stretcher embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a similar view upon anenlarged scale of the pivoted levers. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail uponthe line 00 to of Fig. 2.

Reference now being had to the details of the drawings by letter, A andA designate two beam-levers. The lever A is provided with a verticalslot, which runs substantially the entire length of the lever, as shownat B. Each of the said levers A and A is provided at its outer end witha stretcher-head C, which at its outer edge is provided with a series ofnotches c, and at the ends of the points sepafi rating said notches pinsor points 0 are provided, which points are inclined downwardly and serveto engage the carpet, as will be readily understood. The lever A isprovided with a horizontal slot B, the lower edge of which is providedwith a rack-bar, as shown. The lever A is placed within the verticalslot B of the lever A, said lever A being provided with a slot B in allrespects similar to the slot B in the lever A, excepting that the slotis provided with a rack-bar, which extends along the upper edge of theslot instead of along'the lower edge, as is the case with the lever A.

D is a pinion,whicl1 engages the teeth of the rack-bars upon the leversA and A, as shown. The shaft or axle of said pinion extends for a shortdistance beyond the side edge of the lever A, and this extended end issquared, as shown at D.

D is a metallic case, which is fitted over the lever A, and is adaptedto be moved thereon freely by the knob or handle D This case is providedwith a slot D which, when the case is moved against the pinion, engagesthe squared end D of the same and locks the same against rotation.

The operation of the device will be readily understood. The teeth orpoints 0 upon the stretcher-head are engaged with the carpet. The case Dis moved so as to disengage it from the axle of the pinion and allow thesame to rotate, when the levers A and A may be drawn apart for asufficient distance, when the case D is again moved into engagement withthe axle, locking the same again against rotation. The lovers are nowforced downward, the teeth upon the lever A moving over the notches uponthe locked pinion, and the carpet is thus stretched into place, thenotches in the stretchenheads serving to permit the tacks to be drivenwithout nece sitating the removal of the stretcher.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim to be new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the heads provided with pins or hooks to engagethe carpet, the levers A and B, connected therewith and slotted, asdescribed, the pinion D on an axle provided with a square head engagingrackbars Within the slots of the levers, of the movable case D upon oneof the levers and adapted to engage the end of the axle of the pinionand lock the same against rotation, substantially as and for the purposedescribed. In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

JOHN WALTER ROUNKLES.

'Witnesses:

WM. GOODIN, MERCHANT STODDARD.

